Carlile Transportation Systems.

• Author: Williams, Morissa
• Position: Top Guns * Alaska's Top 49ers

2003 Top 49er Ranking: 25

Position Last Year: 18

2002 Revenue: $58 million

Number of Employees: 455

Carlile Transportation Systems, headquartered in Anchorage, enables Alaska to be a dynamic player in major segments of commerce. This multi-modal transportation and logistics company provides freight transportation service to and from the Lower 48, Canada and all points in Alaska.

How does it do this? The Anchorage terminal, one of many, operates almost nonstop. Dispatchers coordinate a fleet of more than 80 tractors and 850 pieces of trailing equipment. About 5 million pounds of freight are processed through the terminal each week.

The 95 percent Alaskan-owned company has more than 400 employees, and operates terminals in Anchorage; Fairbanks; Prudhoe Bay; Kenai; Seward; Federal Way, Wash.; and Houston.

President Harry McDonald and Executive Vice President John McDonald established Carlile in 1980. This company is all muscle, taking on immense responsibilities as a matter of course and accomplishing them quietly.

Carlile's customers are as varied as BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., the United States military and several isolated communities, all of which rely on the company's dedicated service. From bridge beams destined for Denali Park to huge cranes and modules moving to the North Slope, Carlile delivers goods efficiently through Alaska's challenging conditions. The company provides overnight freight service from both Anchorage and Fairbanks, bringing much-needed goods to Alaska communities.

It takes several phone calls to reach the president, as he isn't often in his office. But Harry McDonald and his brother didn't build up a company from their original holdings of two trucks and two trailers by spending a lot of time in comfortable offices.

McDonald is quick to credit the company's consistent growth over the years to the dedication of his work force.

"We have a really good relationship with our employees," he says, noting that many of them have been with Carlile for years, some since the company began. The company provides substantial training programs with a heavy emphasis on safety, and helps employees evolve into positions of increasing responsibility. This promotes greater efficiency, safety and job satisfaction, all of which are key components of Carlile's success.

When Carlile sees a need, it responds to it. For example, when Harry McDonald realized the company was moving a lot of freight out of Texas, he worked to open a terminal in...